Review: Almost, Maine

“Almost, Maine,” written by John Cariani, is a stage play composed of nine short stories that, with a mixture of comedy and quirky metaphorical situations, explore the real life troubles of love and loss in the small Maine town of Almost.

On Aug. 28, Armstrong’s Department of Art, Music and Theater presented their reprise production of this play at the Jenkins Hall Theater and it did not disappoint.

Upon entrance, the mood for the show was already set: music was playing softly in the background, snow was on the stage, and anticipations was high as show-time drew closer. Although the set was simplistic, it was far from inadequate. The design and placement added more depth to the story.

The cast drew the audience’s attention within seconds and did not let it go until the final moment. The actors brought their characters to life, giving the story believable aspects that each person could find themselves connecting with. The audience grew to know each and every character, despite the length of each story, and that in itself was phenomenal, leaving a lasting impact even as the actors took their bows.

As the show drew to a close, the hush from the theater was palpable as viewers waited to see what transpired. The joy that spurred upon the story’s true happy ending is something one could only experience within the intimate and beautiful setting of theater; this rendition held true to that feeling.

This performance truly made its mark, setting high expectations for show in the upcoming year.